Band-tightener for flexible band-wheels.



W. G. MATTBSON. BAND TIGHTBNER FOR FLEXIBLE BAND WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED 1110.30, 1911.

1,039,421 Patented Sept. 24, 1912.

ambawtoz W (TMJJZZQJOR v pHd'ro-umo by sacxan a WILHELMS coa NY WALTER LMATTESON, OF SAN JOSE, CAL IFORNIA.

BAND-TIGHTENER FOR FLEXIBLE BAND-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept 24, 1912.

Original application filed March' 23, 1910 Serial No. 551,093. Divided and this application filed August 30, 1911. Serial No. 646,931.

To all whom it mag concern.

Be it known that I, WALTER C. MA'r'rnsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara,

State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Band- Tighteners for Flexible Band-Wheels; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art -to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference. being had to the. accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates toimprovements in wheels used for all purposes, the object of the inventionbeingto produce a simple and inexpensive flexible wheel truck, the same beingsubstantially elongated in shape and having a'fiexible endless band to present a long, fiat tread to the ground surface, such truclc having-a center hub and spaced outer operating wheels over which the band is operated, one of which wheelsis driven by the power from the vehicle to which the truck is attached, the entire band wheel truck being flexibleto. conform to all unevenness of surface and being also flexibly secured to the vehicle to which it-is attached to permit said vehicle to at all times remain in sub stantially an even plane regardless of what rough and uneven surfaces the bandwheel truck passes over. i I

A further object of the invention and the main structure hereafter described andclaimed is a resilient automatic tightener for such flexible band which will at all times maintain the same in a normal taut position 40 and prevent it from sagging or becoming loose. i The mainfeatures of the band wheel truck itself are set forth and claimed in application for atent made by me March 23rd, ,1910, Serial No. 551,093, in which-the sub- ,ject matter of this applicationhwas origi nally claimed but which is hereby divided from 'said application-and made apart of this case, and reference is made to said original application for greater certainty.

The objects above set forth are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by 'a perusal of, the following specification and c aims.

:In the drawings similar charactcrsof reference lndlcate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the flexible designates the main frame of the vehicle to which my improvedband. wheel truck is attached, which vehicle may be power driven as a traction engine or any other vehicle such as a hauling truck, wagon, or similar vehicles. On .said truck 1 is suitably secured-a shaft or axle 2 mounted on which is a journal box or hub 3 of my improved flexible band truck, which hub carries an elongated or flexible oblong frame 4- carrying rigid journal boxes 5 at its rear end and journal boxes 6 at its forward end, such boxes .6 having pins 7 movable in elongated slots 8 in said frame 4. In the boxes 5 is journaled a shaft 9.,on which are secured spaced wheels 10 of any desired St111( ture. ilhe shaft 9 is rotated by power from the vehicle by means offany suitable gear or sprocket structure. t

In the boxes 6 is journaled a shaft 11 carrying two spaced wheels 12alined with the wheels '10 and being of similar structure to said wheels 10. Mounted on the wheels 10 and 12 is a flexible band 13 of any suitable desired structure but more particularly of a structure such as is shown in said application, Serial No. 551,093 heretofore referred to. This band wheel has also supporting-means and other structure to operate therewith shown in the drawings herewithgpresented but not described, which structure is also shown, described and claimed in said application Serial i No. 551,093.-

The flexibility of'the band 13 coupled -with the sliding boxes 6 as' described permits the band to conform to any unevenness or roughness of surface, such band 13 being held automatically in its normal taut position and being, prevented from sagging or becoming loose by means of the following structure, to-wit': On each end of the shaft 11 is a rod 14, such rods projecting through a flange 15 on the frame 4 and then a cross bar 16 is bolted on the outer ends of said since the bar. 16 is bolted to the bars 14: and

the springs 17 press against the'saidbar 16,

this will keep the tension of the same pulling on-the rods 14 thus-keeping the shaft ll pulled to its foremost position which will keep the flexible band 13 normally taut.

From the foregoing description it will readily appear thatI have -produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets foi'thin detail the present and preferred constructionof the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention.

' Having thus described my invention-what 1' claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is i 1. A device as, described comprising a frame, a wheel fixedly journaled in one end offsaid frame, said frame'being provided with elongated longitudinal slots in its other end, two journal boxes, pinsmounted. in said journal boxes and being slidable through said slots, a shaft mounted in said .journal boxes, rods connected with said 7 shaft, a fiange onsaidframe, said rods pro jecting through s id flange, a stop member secured on said ods, a plurality of independent pins secured to said flange and projecting through saidstop member, springs interposed between such stop member and saidflange and around said rods and sald independent pins, a wheel mounted on said shaft, and a flexible band disposed over said two named wheels, as described.

'2. A device as described comprising a frame, a Wheel fixedly journaled in one end of said frame, said frame being provided boxes,a flange on the end of, said'frame,

rods mounted on each end of said shaft and projectingthrough said flange a bar bolted on said rods at a spaced distance from said in g through said bar, springs disposed aroundsaid rods and said pins and interposed between said flange-and saidlbar, a wheel mounted on 'said shaft,'and a flexible band" disposed over said two named wheels, as described In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of-two witnesses.

v WALTER C. MATTESON.

Witnesses: v EnwAnoG. MEINEOKE,

C. MQKAY."

v with elongated longitudinal slots in its j flange, a plurality of pins bolted into said flange and having their free ends project-- 

